| the-pi-guy said: >how does it not? if something(in this case gender) is constructed out of our social makeup then how does it not follow? Because gender and transitioning are different things. Just because gender is social, doesn't mean that transitioning could be trendy. >how do you explain the people who detransition? Because there's a difference between psychological and physical (which can include biological, legal) impressions of gender. Someone who was born a man can have gender dysphoria and still put on paperwork that they're male. The point I was making, is no one is choosing to have gender dysphoria, and people without gender dysphoria are not transitioning. |
To try to clarify a bit:
-Gender is a social construct
-Identity is not
Basically what that means is that which behaviors, hobbies, norms etc are considered "male" and which are "female" are societally determined, however, individuals don't typically choose what they like and what makes them happy. What society does is put those things that an individual likes into pink or blue boxes. For example, dresses being feminine is a social construct, however, an individual feeling more (psychologically) comfortable in a dress than in "male clothes", is not chosen and is not a social construct. The convergence between personal truth and societal pressures is largely where dysphoria resides. As such, an individual with a penis would not be pressured into identifying any differently, because their identity is not a choice. Where societal pressures do come in is in aiding to create the dysphoria between identity and "sex".
Further, I do want to make the comment that no all transgendered individuals necessarily have gender dysphoria. It is the identity which defines transgendered individuals, not whatever pain they may or may not suffer through that identity.
Note: I am not transgendered and I am not an expert on such things, so if anyone is transgendered or knows more about the subject than me, I encourage you to correct me if I said anything incorrect.
